A giant slide designed by Belgian artist Carsten Höller that spirals through the frame of the Anish Kapoor-designed ArcelorMittal Orbit opened to the public over the weekend. Thirty separate sections comprise the Slide's snaking form, which twists itself around the sculpture's latticed structure. Measuring 178 metres in length, it claims to be Europe's tallest and longest tunnel slide. Beginning from the 76-metre-tall viewpoint, Höller's slide spirals downwards in a tight corkscrew before unravelling 50 metres from the ground. Riders can expect to reach speeds of 15 miles per hour during their 40-second descent. The tube has a predominantly silver base but features a transparent top half, offering panoramic views of London's skyline to thrill seekers. Visitors ascend the steel tower via a central elevator to reach the slide or viewing deck above.
The ArcelorMittal Orbit was created by artist Anish Kapoor and structural engineer Cecil Balmond as a key attraction for visitors during the 2012 Olympics. It is located in the Queen Elizabeth Park in east London, standing 114.5 metres tall, making it not only the tallest slide in Europe, but the tallest sculpture in the UK. London-based firm Bblur Architecture, which also worked with Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners on a bridge that spans the roof of the O2 Arena, oversaw the construction and planning on the project. Peter Tudor, a spokesperson from London Legacy Development Corporation, said: “It's so exciting that the final piece has been lifted into place. The Slide at the ArcelorMittal Orbit will be an incredible experience and yet another reason to visit Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.”
Höller, who has been described as the “Authentic Willy Wonka of contemporary art,” has previously installed slides at the Vitra Campus in Germany and the Hayward Gallery on London's South Bank. Tickets for the Slide at the ArcelorMittal Orbit cost £10 for adults and £5 for children, and are available to book online. We'll see you there! Just don't push in line! Visitors can prepare themselves for a 40-second trip down the imposing slide, orbiting the structure 12 times and observing panoramic views of London’s dramatic cityscape. As they pass through light and dark sections of the tube, participants funnel through a tight corkscrew section named the “Bettfeder” (after the german word for “Bedspring”), which ends with a 15 storey straight run back down to earth.
